PCS Move
BAH Rates Santa Clara County, CA 2026
CASanta Clara County, CA (MHA CA044) housing allowance for every pay grade, with and without dependents — effective January 1, 2026.
E-5 with dependents
$4,659.00
per month · $3,798.00 without dependents
O-3 with dependents
$5,199.00
$4,860.00 without dependents
Change from 2025
n/a
2025 table not on file for this MHA
Housing area
CA044
Santa Clara County, CA
This page is the 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing table for Santa Clara County, CA, California: every pay grade from E-1 to O-10, with and without dependents, as published by DTMO for the Santa Clara County, CA housing area and effective January 1, 2026. To compare Santa Clara County, CA with other duty stations, or to see what a lease leaves in your pocket, use the BAH calculator; if you are moving mid-month, the prorated BAH calculator splits the old and new rate across the paycheck.
Santa Clara County, CA BAH 2026 — every pay grade
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $4,356.00 | $3,318.00 |
| E-2 | $4,356.00 | $3,318.00 |
| E-3 | $4,356.00 | $3,318.00 |
| E-4 | $4,356.00 | $3,318.00 |
| E-5 | $4,659.00 | $3,798.00 |
| E-6 | $4,977.00 | $4,086.00 |
| E-7 | $5,058.00 | $4,368.00 |
| E-8 | $5,145.00 | $4,728.00 |
| E-9 | $5,382.00 | $4,815.00 |
| W-1 | $4,998.00 | $4,257.00 |
| W-2 | $5,094.00 | $4,725.00 |
| W-3 | $5,202.00 | $4,830.00 |
| W-4 | $5,448.00 | $4,992.00 |
| W-5 | $5,751.00 | $5,076.00 |
| O-1E | $5,070.00 | $4,656.00 |
| O-2E | $5,184.00 | $4,797.00 |
| O-3E | $5,496.00 | $4,971.00 |
| O-1 | $4,704.00 | $4,053.00 |
| O-2 | $4,974.00 | $4,560.00 |
| O-3 | $5,199.00 | $4,860.00 |
| O-4 | $5,856.00 | $5,055.00 |
| O-5 | $6,333.00 | $5,100.00 |
| O-6 | $6,387.00 | $5,178.00 |
| O-7 and above | $6,441.00 | $5,274.00 |
Source: Official DTMO 2026 BAH Rate Tables, effective January 1, 2026. DTMO publishes one rate for O-7 through O-10. All rates verified from official DTMO 2026 BAH Rate Excel spreadsheet downloaded from travel.dod.mil. Last verified: 2026-03-22. Verify your exact rate on the official DTMO BAH lookup.
How BAH works in Santa Clara County, CA
Your duty station sets the rate, not your address. BAH is paid for the Military Housing Area of the installation on your orders. Santa Clara County, CA falls in MHA CA044, Santa Clara County, CA. Renting in a cheaper zip nearby does not lower it and a pricier one does not raise it.
With dependents is one rate; without is another. At E-5 the gap in Santa Clara County, CA is $861.00 a month. Dependency status is what is on your record, so a change (marriage, a child, a divorce) changes the column you are paid from.
Rates are reset every January and protected on the way down. DoD sets each MHA from local rental-market data, publishes in December and pays the new table from January 1 (the 2026 average increase across all areas was 4.2%). If the published rate for Santa Clara County, CA ever falls, individual rate protection keeps members already at the station on the higher rate as long as they stay (DoD FMR Vol 7A, Ch 26).
BAH is tax-free and yours to keep. Off base you receive the full rate and keep what you do not spend on rent and utilities. In government or privatized housing the allowance goes to the housing provider. While you are still house-hunting after a PCS, the TLE calculator covers temporary lodging and the DLA calculator shows the one-time move-in allowance for your grade.
BAH rates elsewhere in California
E-5 with dependents shown.
FAQ
Santa Clara County, CA BAH — frequently asked questions
- What is the 2026 BAH for an E-5 in Santa Clara County, CA?
- $4,659.00 per month with dependents and $3,798.00 without, effective January 1, 2026. Santa Clara County, CA sits in the Santa Clara County, CA Military Housing Area (MHA CA044); the full table on this page lists every grade from E-1 ($4,356.00 with dependents) to O-7 and above ($6,441.00).
- What is the 2026 BAH for an O-3 in Santa Clara County, CA?
- $5,199.00 per month with dependents and $4,860.00 without. Officer rates in Santa Clara County, CA run from $4,704.00 for an O-1 with dependents to $6,441.00 at O-7 and above; prior-enlisted officers (O-1E to O-3E) have their own rows in the table.
- How is the BAH rate in Santa Clara County, CA set?
- DoD sets the Santa Clara County, CA rate each year from local rental-market data for the MHA, publishes it in December and applies it from January 1. Across all locations the average 2026 increase was 4.2%. If a published rate ever drops, individual rate protection means members already at the station keep the higher rate as long as they stay (DoD FMR Vol 7A, Ch 26).
- Does my BAH in Santa Clara County, CA depend on my zip code?
- Yes. BAH is paid for the Military Housing Area of your duty station, not where you choose to live. Santa Clara County, CA's duty-station zip falls in MHA CA044, Santa Clara County, CA. Living in a cheaper zip nearby does not lower your rate; living in a pricier one does not raise it. Confirm your exact rate on the official DTMO BAH lookup.
- Is BAH in Santa Clara County, CA taxable, and do I keep what I do not spend?
- BAH is not taxable income. If you live off base you receive the full Santa Clara County, CA rate for your grade and dependency status and keep whatever you do not spend on rent and utilities; if you live in government or privatized housing the allowance goes to the housing provider. Members without dependents receive the without-dependents column, which in Santa Clara County, CA is $3,798.00 at E-5.
Keep going
Housing + PCS tools
REF: DoD FMR Vol 7A, Ch 26 · 37 U.S.C. § 403, effective January 1, 2026
Official DTMO 2026 BAH Rate Tables — Santa Clara County, CA (MHA CA044)
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.